"It's Miss, but this is her, who's this?"
"My name is Eleanor Traxton, and I'm calling from Prudell Academy."
"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number," I say.
"Are you Cooper Bennett's mother?" Eleanor asks.
"Yes, but I—"
"I'm calling to inform you that based on his application we would like to offer him a place here, effective the Monday after Thanksgiving. It's when our new term begins."
My knees threaten to buckle beneath me, and I take a seat on the chair in the corner of the small dressing room.
"I'm sorry, but what application?" I ask.
"It was submitted several weeks ago, and then, of course, his interview last week," Eleanor says. The sound of rustling paper accompanies her voice.
"Interview?"
"Everything okay in there?" Addie calls through the door.
I don't respond, I'm too busy trying to regulate my breathing as Eleanor continues.
"Yes, our enrollment advisor met with him at his current elementary school. Were you not aware of this?"
"No, I…I'm—"
"Our apologies, Miss Bennett, we were led to assume his teachers discussed this with you."
"Listen, I appreciate the offer, and I wish there was something I could do to make this happen, but there's no way I can afford this," I say.
"I'm sorry, Miss Bennett, I don't think I was clear. He's being offered a scholarship," she says.
"Excuse me?"
"The tuition is covered in full."
"How long?" I ask.
There's a pause. "I'm sorry?"
"How long is the scholarship for?" I ask again.
"This particular scholarship covers his tuition through graduation."
"You mean like eighth grade?"
"No, Miss Bennett, high school graduation," she says.
"How? How did he? Did this?" My chest tightens. Is this for real?
"Why don't we schedule a tour for you and Cooper, and we can answer any questions you may have. I'm sure you'll find Prudell will be somewhere your son can thrive."
We schedule a tour for early next week, and I get my clothes back on. Everything is a blur as I give Addie the news and mindlessly swipe my card. Coop in private school? One that challenges him? Where he can fit in and get the proper tools for success? My heart wants to jump out of my skin, and I hate that the first person I want to call is Mateo.
Addie and I are headed to pick Coop up at school, so I wait and let him tell Mateo when we get home.
"Dude, that's awesome," he says. His face filling Coop's entire phone screen. Addie dropped us home after celebratory ice cream, and Coop barely made it in the door before he FaceTimed Mateo.
